Med Costs

Today when the phone rang and I saw that it was from the pharmacy that was taking care of my fertility drugs, I wanted to answer and then on the flipside I didn't.  Immediately the lady told me that I didn't have fertility coverage which was no shock.  Then she started giving me the breakdown of all of the meds and drugs.  Once she started I just kept saying in my head please don't be a lot.  We had planned on spending anywhere from 3 grand to 4 grand.  Here is what she said:

Lupron Kit is $99
Ovidrel trigger shot to release the eggs is $83.79
Progesterone and Oil is for 3 vials is $35 and equals to $105
Endometrin is  $105 for the discount program/$144.48 if I didn’t enroll for program
           *The lady I talked to said to check with my IVF nurse to see if I really need to take this as doctors
             usually don't prescribe progrestone and endometrin at the same time.  On top of that I am
             worried as how I am going to react to this drug.
Dexamethasone quantity of 30 is $13.04 (Might transfer to local Walgreens to use my insurance)
Z-Pac is $49.70 without insurance (Might transfer to local Walgreens to use my insurance)
Luveris is for two vials is $36.14 a vial for $72.28 total

By this point I was going this isn't to bad and to good to be true, but I knew that the big bombshell must be coming and that it did.

Gonal 450 IU for 3 vials Meds for $1872.12

Estimated Total is $2409.93 or $2346 would be total if transfer those two drugs

Now the initial shock has set in and I have had time to think and the total was a lot less than I thought and planned on.  Actually I have enough money to pay for my meds and not have to charge them and I will still have more money to put towards the procedure.  :)  I hope that this is really all the meds I am going to have to take and that this cost isn't going to go up because if it stays the same, I can deal with this a little bit easier.

The lady did tell me about a company that I can sign up with called New Life Agency.  Has anyone heard of this?  The website is http://www.newlifeagency.com/ and you sign up and pay like a $25 enrollment fee, but what they do is pay you $100 back for every $1000 you spend on fertility drugs.  I looked at the site and I still want to read it some more to find out the details, but saving a few more bucks sounds good to me.  This phone call is going better than I thought.  :)

After I had time to digest all of this, I am really viewing my glass half full instead of half empty.  Next week is going to be rough as I have to pay for everything, but I do have to say all of this is really becoming real to me.  I feel like this is still so far away and I am just ready to get this ball rolling and move forward with this.  I am hoping that these next few weeks just fly by.  Only happy thoughts for this girl and have to remain calm, stress free, and positive!!!

Holidays

Why are the holidays so hard?  Why do I bother turning on my computer on these holidays and see all of the posts on Facebook?  Why do I torture myself so bad with this?  I know that Easter isn't just about the Easter bunny and it is about Jesus, but it doesn't make it any easier to see pictures of my friends kids, their eggs hunts, and their baskets.  I remember when we first found out years ago that we were pregnant that one of the first thoughts that went through my head was Chris and I weren't going to be alone on the holidays any more and our family would be complete.  Now how many more years later I am dreading going to my parents for the day as it is just hard.  I know that the only people that really and truly understand what I am talking about are the ones that are in the same shoes.  I know that the next two holidays are Mother's Day and Father's Day which will be as equally as hard, but then no more real holidays until October.  May all of us that are in this boat get through these next few holidays with flying colors.  Saying a prayer for all of us today regarding a miracle in the very near future.  Happy Easter!

Last Phone Conference!

Things are so real now that it just amazes me!  My IVF nurse just called to walk me through the HUGE packet of information that she sent me.  I thought the packet was big that I got before, but this is serious business.  I have to fill out a bunch of papers and have them notarized as soon as possible to give our consent to doing this and also to freeze our embryos that survive.  :)  On the top of the packet was a colored copy of my updated medication schedule.  Some of my medicines have changed since the first calendar she sent me.  I love how everything is color coded that way I am not going to mess up a dose or anything like that.  I think the lady learned pretty quick that I am very organized and like having everything planned out.

She went through step by step what is going to happen in May.  May 12th is when my real fun starts and I get to start my first injectable drug called Lupron.  She said that this drug is a suppressant and that it is going to get my body ready for IVF by suppressing my pituitary gland.  I haven't taken this drug before so I guess we will see if there are any reactions with it.  I will also be taking a steroid called Dexamethasone that I have taken before.  I take those in conjunction with my usual medications for a while.  Then on the 18th I have to have my Estrodial checked and we are hoping for a low number as I should be on my period or getting ready to have a period.  Then depending on a couple of factors, I might have to go to St. Louis for a baseline ultrasound, but we won't know that until the 22nd.  I am hoping that I don't.  Then on the 25th more fun with taking Gonal F on top of everything else.  This is a new drug to me, but she says that it is like the Follistim that I took before that will increase my hormones and follicle growth.  Does anyone agree or disagree with this that has taken this?  On the 30th, I get to take Luveris which is another drug I haven't taken to mature the follicles that I have produced.  Thoughts?  Then on the 31st, I have my Estrodial checked that morning in St. Louis and then the ultrasound to check my follicles after that.  Depending on what they see depends on what they do the next few days.  They will either tell me to stay in St. Louis or go home and come back in a few days.  Everything is up in the air which sucks as I am a planner, but it will be ok.  Meanwhile I will keep dosing up on medicine to keep my follicles growing as we want them as mature as we can get them.  :)  Somewhere around then I will take an Ovidrel injection to cause all of the follicles to ovulate.  36 hours after injection is when I will have surgery.

I was told that my egg retrieval will probably be that Friday or Saturday just depending on how they mature.  She said that everything is done in the office and they have various rooms for the surgery and recovery.  She said that the sedation isn't a full few hours sedation, but more like 15 minutes to come out of it.  She said that I will be groggy most of the day, but I will be able to walk around just not do too much.  After that the next day they will call me to let me know how our little embryo's are developing.  Hearing that is exciting as that will really give us hope with this whole process.  Meanwhile I will be doing medications still, but not sure which ones yet.  On day 5 the best two embryo's will be transferred back in (she said to drink water before hand) and I guess we get to watch it.  :)  Then after that is 24 hours of bedrest.  Then cross the fingers and hope for a miracle or miracles.

This is all feeling really real.  I know that we have the greatest support system in the world that is going to get us through this next month.  Meanwhile I am going to keep thinking positive, working out, and trying to eat healthy.  I just have to keep telling myself that I am Superwoman and I can do anything with the love and support of God and my family and friends.  I am very blessed to have them in my life.

Amazing! Uplifting!

My friend put this on Facebook today and I listened to this song and I felt like this women was singing a song about my life.  As I sat here with tears streaming down my cheeks, I thought of all of the other women I know that would appreciate this and have been in my shoes.  May all of the women I know that are fighting infertility get an answer to their prayers and have their dreams come true.

I HAVE THE PLAN FOR OUR IVF!!!

Today has been a crazy day!  I got an email this morning saying no PCOS for sure and no Metformin.  That just started my day off.  Then after that I got my email from my IVF nurse or coordinator.  She said we are good to go and we will be in contact lots and do a phone conference real soon.  :)  Then the big shocker, she emailed me my month of May calendar with all of my drugs and dosages!  I think I went into shock when I first saw it as it was more than a bit overwhelming, but once I sat back and looked at it, things really became real.  I start drugs at the beginning of May!  WOW!  I am going to be poked more than I thought with multiple injections on days.  I have to get ready for this as I REALLY hate needles! 

I have been looking up the various drugs on here to find out what they do and side effects.  There are definitely some that I know and some new ones.  I guess I have less than a month to get my game face on for this.  I have a phone conference in two weeks once I get my packet to really iron everything out.  I love my new doctor and how they are really treating me as an individual.  I will NOT accept failure with this! 

APRIL 1st!

I can't believe that today is April 1st!  Are we seriously doing IVF next month!?  I think the nerves and excitement has really started to set in.  This has really felt like a dream, but not now we are actually doing this.  (SMILE)  We are doing so much to get ready for this.  We both are trying to eat healthier and cheaper, working out, and thinking positive.  I can really tell a difference with my body already and with Chris's.  This is going to work for us, I just know it.  I have already met two women on facebook that are a part of my group that are doing IVF May into June.  It will be so nice to know other people that are going to be thinking and feeling the same thing as I.  :)  I really think it will make a difference.  I should be getting a call soon from my IVF Coordinator and this ball will get rolling.  When you really think about it, one month from tomorrow is the day all of our money is due.  That will be a sad day, but it will be fine (it was nice to be debt free for a while).  I am hoping by that time I will be feeling better too as I am still feeling like crap from the birth control they put me on and flare ups with my IBS.  I guess getting sick each night is just dropping more weight for me.  LOL, bot seriously it isn't fun.  Any how we are excited.  I am actually going to go to my support group meeting on Tuesday as I need all of the support and prayers we can get.  We are honestly about to get back on this roller coaster and I am hoping it will be nice and smooth this time and less bumpy.